The Takigawa Meat Bar in the Sky, which opened in October last year, is the latest to join the ensemble of restaurants benefiting from the location.

In fact, the restaurant seeks to make full use of its location by occupying the fifth story of the building housing it, and usingsee-through materials for its walls. The interiors emphasize roominess, with plenty of open space, and minimalist Japanesedesign.

According to Takigawa Franchise’s supervisor Suryo, the establishment is different from other Takigawa restaurants. “We have a Takigawa that offers a Japanese fusion menu and Meat Bar specializing in Western cuisine,” he said.

Suryo said that the first Takigawa, the brainchild of Adrian Rosano and his wife, was opened in Panglima Polim, Jakarta. There are now more than 30 restaurants, located in Jakarta, Bandung, Balikpapan and Batam, under the Takigawa flag.

I tried Jacko San (Rp 39,000 – US$4), which is melted cheese and enoki mushroom wrapped in grilled sirloin beef with a sprinkle of tempura crunch on top.

This dish benefits not only from the main ingredients but also the Japanese sauce and shredded vegetables. The signature fusion sushi, the Takigawa Roll (Rp 55,000 for a small plate), is made of salmon, scallop, crabstick glazed with Takigawa’s special sauce, topped with tobiko and duck liver pate.

From the Meat Bar, I tried the generous L’Entrecote (Rp 229,000) accompanied by The Ultimate Mushroom Soup, which was smooth and creamy.

For drinks, I recommend the refreshing Sour Lemon Sparks with sorbet (Rp.29,000) -a mixture of ginger ale, pineapple, lemon, fresh mint leaves and sorbet. And if you still have room, try the restaurant’s signature dessert, the delectable Chocolate Melt (Rp 37,000).

Takigawa fusion sushi prices start from Rp 16,000 per plate while the Meat Bar menu starts from Rp 39,000 for a plate of pasta.

It is quite pricey but the quality and presentation of the food and beverages here are excellent.

During this month, the restaurant is promoting its Package for Two, only Rp 35,000 per person for a choice of sushi from their package menu and free flow of hot/cold ocha.

When you have time to spare, their Kamameshi –steamed rice in a traditional Japanese pot - is a good choice because it takes a while to cook.

Due to the long queues, it is best to avoid coming here on the weekends and in a starving state. Wear layers of clothing because it’s chilly, and arm yourself with a good camera that takes great pictures under dim lights.

We also advise you dive into the food immediately as it gets cold really quickly up there.